Desert Springs Villas 1- Spa benefit returns!

[mjm1]

I have it on good authority that the board has negotiated the return of the spa, tennis court, etc. benefits for owners. For those who use the facilities that is a big plus. I know we used it years ago when we traded in. I suspect we will use it again.

That partially explains why our MFs increased by 15% for 2012. The cost of this benefit is approximately $65 per unit. Apparently, the cost of this benefit before it was eliminated was approximately $50, so the net increase is approximately $15.

Owners will be receiving a letter from the President which will explain the changes more thoroughly.

 

[Steve A]

The new workout space in the Villas is better than the space at the hotel. What about access to the hotel pool?

 

[mjm1]

Good to hear that the fitness room at the villas has been improved.

From what I hear, we will have access to the tennis courts and the hotel pool as part of the renewal of the spa access.

I look forward to receiving the letter from the President.

 

[dioxide45]

This is good news for those that used the benefit. However it is one of those things where those that don't use it end up subsidizing those that do. It seems that the pay per use fees that they had for the last couple years is more than the current increase for this benefit.

I have no skin in the game, but if it were me, I would prefer it be a pay per use vs lumped in with my MFs.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

This is a huge accomplishment of the DSV I Board and great news for DSV I owners and guests.

It's too bad the DSV owners didn't show more unity in boycotting the hotel, when the owners of the hotel decided to terminate the Recreation Agreement with DSV I.

There still exists an opportunity for the villas to operate a shuttle service between DSV I and the Renaissance Esmarelda resort in Indian Wells. From what I understand, the management and owners of the Renaissance Esmarelda would greet the DSV I owners and guests, and their business, with open arms.

As far as I'm concerned, the owners of the JW Marriott Desert Springs, Host Hotels, can go pound sand. We, as a family, will have to give serious cosideration to doing business with those characters.

 

[JeffW]

I was there in July, but don't remember what the new per day / per week costs to use the Hotel facilities were. $65/wk (for an entire unit) sounds lower than what I recall.

Jeff

 

[ada903]

I think it was somewhere around $175 per week per family, see this:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113245

Does this benefit include the use of the pools at JW?

 

[cbdmvci]

This is a huge accomplishment of the DSV I Board and great news for DSV I owners and guests.

Here's an example of another benefit of this development for DSV I owners.

Because I have relatives both in Southern California and in New Mexico, I used to trade my Aruba week often for a DSV I week for family gatherings.

I stopped doing that when the Spa Benefit stopped.

Now, once this is confirmed, I'll start again.

I do believe that whenever your resort is in higher trade demand, it's to your advantage when you want to trade out.

 

[JeffW]

...I do believe that whenever your resort is in higher trade demand, it's to your advantage when you want to trade out.

Depends. Is a resort 'more expensive / more difficult' to trade into, because:

a) there's a lot of demand for exchanges there, or
b) there's limited supply of deposited weeks, or
c) combination of both

Jeff

 

[SueDonJ]

This is good news for those that used the benefit. However it is one of those things where those that don't use it end up subsidizing those that do. It seems that the pay per use fees that they had for the last couple years is more than the current increase for this benefit.

I have no skin in the game, but if it were me, I would prefer it be a pay per use vs lumped in with my MFs.

I agree, pay-per-use is much more fair to every owner, especially when it comes to activities/benefits that are provided by outside vendors. Whether or not I use every benefit that's offered, I'm okay with sharing equally in the costs for anything contained within the property footprint. Offsite benefits that are money-makers for any entity other than the resort itself or the management company, not okay with that.

 

[flyboy0681]

This is good news for those that used the benefit. However it is one of those things where those that don't use it end up subsidizing those that do.

Very much a true statement. I don't use the SPA and really would like to keep my MF as low as humanly possible.

 

[flyboy0681]

Here is the official announcement. The last bullet point is quite interesting.



As I mentioned at the beginning of this report, for 2012 DSV will have a new arrangement with the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa. DSV and Host Hotels, the owner of the JW Marriott hotel, have reached an agreement in principle on a new license agreement effective January 1, 2012. The new agreement covers use of the hotel's spa, exercise room, pools and tennis courts. The highlights of the new agreement, which is being finalized as I write this report, are as follows:
• The new agreement is for 5 years, with a renewal option for another 5 years.

• The cost of the new license fee is $57.50 per unit week owned. This is about a $12 per unit week increase from the license fee in effect during 2009, when DSV last had a license agreement to use the hotel's facilities. Currently, without a license agreement DSV owners have to pay $175 per week for a pass to use the hotel's facilities good for two adults and up to four children under 18 years old.

• The new license agreement allows for an annual increase in the license fee, which is pegged at CPI plus 1%. This is the same arrangement as was under the now expired agreement. There is a difference however. If the license agreement's renewal option is taken, then in year 6 there is a onetime 10% license fee increase. In the following years, the annual fee increase reverts to CPI plus 1%.

• While DSV Owners will again have access to the hotel's spa, exercise room, pool areas and tennis courts, the license agreement will not include access to these facilities on Saturday or Sunday. On those days, if any DSV Owner wishes to use the hotel's facilities, the Owner will have to pay the same amount as hotel guests are charged.

 

[tomgou]

Not Happy

The cost of the new license fee is $57.50 per unit week owned
No Wonder the fees are up 15% for 2012

I vote pay for use!!!

 

[SueDonJ]

The cost of the new license fee is $57.50 per unit week owned
No Wonder the fees are up 15% for 2012

I vote pay for use!!!

The problem is that the DVCI board didn't put it to a vote. I know they got complaints when the old contract wasn't renewed, but did they solicit opinions from the ownership before they agreed to the new one?

 

[wvacations]

The problem is that the DVCI board didn't put it to a vote. I know they got complaints when the old contract wasn't renewed, but did they solicit opinions from the ownership before they agreed to the new one?

No one asked me how I felt about paying to use another pool while at the same time paying to maintain the pools that are on the property. Also when the original contract expired the fitness center was made much nicer. Now we get to keep paying for that fitness center as well as the fitness center at the JW. Somewhere in that cost will be the operation of the shuttle to transport people that 1 mile to and from the JW so they can then walk 2 miles on a treadmill!!! CPI + 1%??? In this economy? Then a 10% increase in year 5 garrenteed? Then comparing the old contract rate with the new rate in one paragraph and then in another mentioning for the higher fee, acesss to the JW is reduced by 28% ( only mon-fri compared to everyday). That makes the "modest" increase not so "modest". DSV I fees are becoming unreasonable. Remember that $1225 MF's do NOT include property taxes that range between $75 and $150 per year.

 

[flyboy0681]

DSV I fees are becoming unreasonable.

When I bought into DS I in the mid 90's I was concerned about the fees and brought it up during the sales discussion. The saleswoman said that the fees do go up but "assured" me that the changes were very minor.

For what it's worth, my first MF bill was for $365. You do the math.

 

[SueDonJ]

No one asked me how I felt about paying to use another pool while at the same time paying to maintain the pools that are on the property. Also when the original contract expired the fitness center was made much nicer. Now we get to keep paying for that fitness center as well as the fitness center at the JW. Somewhere in that cost will be the operation of the shuttle to transport people that 1 mile to and from the JW so they can then walk 2 miles on a treadmill!!! CPI + 1%??? In this economy? Then a 10% increase in year 5 garrenteed? Then comparing the old contract rate with the new rate in one paragraph and then in another mentioning for the higher fee, acesss to the JW is reduced by 28% ( only mon-fri compared to everyday). That makes the "modest" increase not so "modest". DSV I fees are becoming unreasonable. Remember that $1225 MF's do NOT include property taxes that range between $75 and $150 per year.

This is an excellent post. Really, lots of folks (I'd be one of them!) wouldn't be able to bring every item together so clearly and concisely. Have you written something similar to the resort's GM or board members?

 

[tomgou]

Contact info

You can email the president of the board Joseph Lawrence Joseph.Lawrence@SMGOV.NET

This is what he emailed to me
Yes, the fee for 2012 will increase over the fee from 2011. But most of this happened as a result of restoring a license agreement for use of the hotel's facilities. Except for the last 2 years, a license fee has been part of the maintenance fee structure since the very beginning of DSV. Over the next 5 years, I do believe that owners will need to look very hard at whether this is an amenity that everyone wants to pay for, or whether only those who actually use it, should pay for it.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

No one asked me how I felt about paying to use another pool while at the same time paying to maintain the pools that are on the property. Also when the original contract expired the fitness center was made much nicer. Now we get to keep paying for that fitness center as well as the fitness center at the JW. Somewhere in that cost will be the operation of the shuttle to transport people that 1 mile to and from the JW so they can then walk 2 miles on a treadmill!!! CPI + 1%??? In this economy? Then a 10% increase in year 5 garrenteed? Then comparing the old contract rate with the new rate in one paragraph and then in another mentioning for the higher fee, acesss to the JW is reduced by 28% ( only mon-fri compared to everyday). That makes the "modest" increase not so "modest". DSV I fees are becoming unreasonable. Remember that $1225 MF's do NOT include property taxes that range between $75 and $150 per year.

While, yes, it is true some owners will pay for a Recreational Agreement that they choose not to enjoy, timeshare ownership (even more so than condominium ownership (based on the premise that each condominium is further divided into 1/52)) is based on a principle of shared ownership, so clearly some aspects of home ownership will be enjoyed by some and not by others. Further, the HOA Board is empowered to make certain decisions on behalf of the owners, and I do not recall what the threshold is for issues that can be decided by the HOA Board vs subjected to a vote of all Unit Owners.

I will say this, I have (no data) but a gut sense that the Recreation Agreement will in addition to bringing some DSVI owners and guests enjoyment, will bring higher rental and resale rates for DSVI over DSVII (if the resale and rental markets ever stabilize), based on the privileges that come with the Recreation Agreement, and the fact that DSVI villas are more spacious than DSVII or Shadow Ridge villas.

Several times (when the Recreation Agreement was in place) I have heard representatives of Interval International say that demand for DSVI was greater than DSVII, based on their assumption that there were a subset of exchangers who knew that DSVI came with access to the hotel and spa. In fact, the II Rep said that a large number of exchangers were DSVII owners who were exchanging into DSVI, so to enjoy the benefits of the Recreation Agreement. Based on these facts, I was told that this created increased exchange power for DSVI over DSVII (based on increased demand).

My issue with the DSV Board has not been their performance, but the stagnation of board members, and the lack of new blood infused on the Board. Personally, I believe the DSVI Board has done an excellent job managing a wonderful resort, and I believe we derive good value from our DSVI maintenance fee.

Much of the above (other than information reported by representatives of I.I) are matters of personal opinion. I certainly respect differing opinions and view points, and I don't pretend to be right.

 

[californiagirl]

Is this benefit for DSV I only? I know Villas I had the benefit originally, but why couldn't both Villas I and II enter an agreement with the hotel?

 

[californiagirl]

Can anyone who has stayed at DSV since Jan 1, 2012 confirm that spa use is again included? We just booked a getaway week and I am really hoping for a thumbs up? Also if so, is it only for villas 1?

 

[csalter2]

Desert Springs Villas I Only

Can anyone who has stayed at DSV since Jan 1, 2012 confirm that spa use is again included? We just booked a getaway week and I am really hoping for a thumbs up? Also if so, is it only for villas 1?

I believe it's only for DSVI. They always used to have this benefit up until a couple of years ago and now they are going to have it again. DSV II never had this benefit. [IMGR][/IMGR]

 

[mjm1]

I believe it's only for DSVI. They always used to have this benefit up until a couple of years ago and now they are going to have it again. DSV II never had this benefit. [IMGR][/IMGR]

That is correct. Only DSV 1.

 

[MabelP]

My sister in law owns there. I believe she said the privileges were Monday to Friday.

 

[californiagirl]

I'm glad to hear that the perk has returned to Villas 1. We own at villas 2, but used to stay at villas 1 because for the spa privilege. I just wish they would have negotiated villas 2 this time around.